Indore: Portable solar power banks can bring down costs of electricity, said Padma Shri Janak Palta McGilligan to a group of National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers on Saturday. The girl volunteers visited Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development to learn about renewable energy resources and their use.
A standard power bank stores power and lets you charge your devices. A solar power bank works the same way. Instead of electricity, it uses sun (through the built-in solar panels) to charge itself,” Janak explained.
She said accumulated power is fed into rechargeable batteries. “A little switch from electricity powered power banks to solar power banks can eventually save hundreds to thousands of rupees based on consumption and application,” Janak added.
She said residents of Indore pay about Rs 3 crore every month for electricity and on other rechagable technologies. “With application of solar technology, we can save Rs 36 crore every year and save energy, environment and get secured and clean power supply,” Janak said.
Another application that can help in reducing bio foot-print are foldable, portable, box type, parabolic solar cookers and a purposely designed solar kitchen with Scheffler dish made by late Jimmy McGilligan.
Volunteers and NSS officer Rajbala appreciated pollution-free briquettes made with recycled old newspapers for cooking during rainy season.
Professional clown from Spain cheered everyone: Monica Santos, a professional clown, from Spain was the guest of honour. “The aim of my life is to make people happy especially in pain, so what’s better than being a clown and making everyone smile,” Monica said. She also said one can move mountains if one is committed to it and it all starts with lighting up a sad face with a smile. She spoke on importance of taking care of environment for truly being healthy and happy.
“If we take good care of environment, there will be less pain and health problems. Then, environment will take care of us,” Monica said.
